I love reading big books, especially in winter. Last winter, I read Sigrid Undset's
Kristin Lavransdatter, & I loved it. It was one of my Top 10 books of the year. This year, the plan was to read the new translation of Eugene Sue's
The Mysteries of Paris, with my 19th century bookgroup. However, that read has been postponed for a few months & may end up being my long summer read instead. I've just started listening to Volume Two of Gibbon's
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but that will probably be a year-long project as there are six volumes lasting about 130 hours.
So, I've been trying to decide what my big winter read should be this year. I thought it might be Samuel Richardson's
Clarissa (& almost bought a
second hand copy of the Folio Society two-volume edition on impulse) but, on reading about
The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki on Mirabile Dictu's blog
here &
here over the last few weeks, I think this may be the book.
I have this lovely Penguin Deluxe edition in the translation by Royall Tyler. Mirabile Dictu discusses the various translations but I'm just going to plunge in & see how I go. Has anyone read Genji?
Lyn,
ReplyDeleteNot yet. I keep telling myself that this is the year, but so far nothing has happened.
Who knows? Maybe this will be the year.
I felt like that about Moby-Dick & finally took the plunge a couple of years ago through listening to an excellent audio version. My only problem with Genji will be the weight of the book, especially when I have one of the cats on my lap. I may need wrist support!
DeleteI haven't read either one, Lyn. I've often though of reading either Pamela or Clarissa, but you know how that goes.
ReplyDeleteI read Pamela years ago & enjoyed it but it's a short story in length compared to Clarissa. I've bought the Penguin edition of Clarissa so I will get to it one day. I wish there was an unabridged audio version read by David Timson or one of my other favourite narrators... but there isn't. I'll just have to plunge in one day.
DeleteOh, I hope you do read it! I need a Genji support group, even if you don't read it till next winter. Royall Tyler's translation is supposed to be one of the best, plus it has footnotes, which is a godsend!
ReplyDeleteDecline and Fall is certainly a big book, too. There's something appealing about a very long classic.
Kat, my winter has just begun so I'm planning to make a start very soon. The footnotes in the Tyler translation are certainly going to be useful as I know nothing about medieval Japan. I may post as I go along as it's difficult to write about such a big book. I took the three vols of Kristin Lavransdatter as separate books when I blogged about them. However, I won't be as brave as you & try to take Genji on my lunchtime walk. I'll choose something lighter (in weight)!
DeleteOne problem with big books is that they are heavy to carry when commuting. I travel by bus and train to work, so these books are intimidating in a physical and intellectual sense. My local library has a hardback copy of Clarissa, and I would probably injure myself if I carried it to work.
ReplyDeleteThat was what put me off the Folio Society edition of Clarissa! I've bought the Penguin which will be big enough. I won't be carrying Genji around with me but taking another book or the Kindle to work to read at lunchtime.
DeleteGenji, Genji, every time! Although I struggled a bit with this particular translation of it (my favourite version is by Seidensticker, but ultimately it's all a matter of taste.) I've written a couple of posts on rereading Genji, if you feel it might be helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marina, I'll definitely have a look at your posts. I'm looking forward to making a start on Genji.
DeleteI have a copy of a 1935 Literary Guild publication translated by Whaley, but I haven't read it. It's over 700 pages long in this edition, but the paper is tissue thin, so the book isn't that cumbersome. I've been reading about it on Mirable Dictu's blog, too, and wondering if I should read it now. But I have Moby Dick and an audio of it waiting sort of impatiently. It's always so hard to pick from the thousands of books waiting to be read!
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say, Joan?! I loved Moby-Dick so I'd have to say go with that if it's calling to you. Which audio version do you have? I listened to William Hootkins who was superb.
DeleteI have a download of The Moby Dick Big Read. Each chapter is read by a different person, some famous (Benedict Cumberbatch) and some not. I'm not sure how it will work, but I'll see.
DeleteOh, I remember hearing about that audio Big Read, it sounds great. It will certainly keep you interested with a different narrator for each chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
DeleteI have never read Genji but it sounds fascinating. I will have to look into it. I am interested to read that you enjoyed Kristin Lavransdatter. I picked it up at a book sale last year but have felt slightly intimidated by it, I am not sure why.
ReplyDeleteKristin is wonderful. I'd recommend Tiina Nunally's translation. I dipped into an earlier translation on eBook (hoping it would be readable as the book was too heavy to carry around with me) but I found it quite stilted & speaking forsoothly as Josephine Tey would say. Nunally's translation wasn't obtrusively modern but it was so readable. I was drawn into the story straight away.
DeleteI've ordered the Eugene Sue book. Like you I enjoy a hefty book and I didn't even know this one was out there.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the Mysteries as I know nothing about it except that it was a very popular serial & ran for a very long time (the new edition is nearly 1400 pages).
Delete